The US Apple Store was briefly offline earlier today with a note saying “We’ll be back soon.” Our first thought was, “new product,” specifically the long-awaited 40GB iPod. But, alas, when the Apple Store came back online, the only real change (excpet for the addition to a Cluster Node version of the Xserve for $2,799) was that the original G3-based CRT iMac was no longer available.
This looks like Apple’s rather ignominious end to the computer that arguably saved the company.
Even Mac OS 9 got a funeral, Apple.
Apple’s original iMac press release:
May 6, 1998–In a major move in to the consumer market, Apple Computer, Inc. today unveiled iMac–the “Internet-age computer for the rest of us.” iMac features a striking design, easy Internet access and Pentium-toasting PowerPC G3 performance for $1299.
“We designed iMac to deliver the things consumers care about most–the excitement of the Internet and the simplicity of the Mac,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s Interim CEO. “iMac is next year’s computer for $1299; not last year’s computer for $999.”
“Today we brought romance and innovation back into the industry,” added Jobs. “iMac reminds everyone of what Apple stands for.”
iMac is a complete Internet-age computer right out of the box, featuring:
– A speedy PowerPC G3 microprocessor running at 233MHz with a high speed 512k backside L2 memory cache;
– Built-in 15-inch high quality display with 1024×768 resolution, 13.8-inch diagonal viewable image size;
– Easy connectivity–one button Internet access, internal 33.6Kbps modem, 10/100Base-Tx Ethernet, 12Mbps Universal Serial Bus (USB), and 4Mbps infrared port (IrDA);
– The world’s easiest to use operating system, Mac OS 8.1, which runs thousands of Macintosh software titles;
– All housed in a stunning translucent enclosure that breaks new ground in industrial design. –
iMac, available worldwide in August in one configuration for $1299, will also include:
– 32MB SDRAM (expandable to 128MB);
– 2MB SGRAM (expandable to 4MB);
– 4GB IDE Hard disk drive;
– 24x CD-ROM drive;
– 10/100Base-T Ethernet;
– 33.6Kbps software modem;
– Two 12Mbps Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports;
– 4Mbps infrared technology (IrDA) port;
– Built-in stereo speakers with SRS sound;
– 66MHz system bus;
– Mac OS 8.1;
– Apple USB Keyboard and Apple USB Mouse.
R.I.P. iMac!
By the way, US$1299, at the Apple Online Store today, gets you a new iMac flat panel with:
– 15-inch LCD flat screen
– 800MHz PowerPC G4
– NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
– 32MB DDR video memory
– 256MB SDRAM
– 60GB Ultra ATA hard drive
– 10/100BASE-T Ethernet
– 56K V.92 internal modem
– Apple Pro Speakers
– AirPort Ready
– Bluetooth Optional
– 100MHz System Bus
– Mac OS X 10.2.4
– Apple USB Keyboard and Apple optical USB Mouse.
Thank you iMac for getting us to this point with Mac OS X 10.2, G4’s and everything else. Without the Bondi Blue iMac and its bretheren, Apple might not be here today!
Thanks, iMac. Thanks Steve Jobs and J. Ive, too. iMac literally DID save Apple as we know it.
Original iMac, 8/98:
– 15-inch CRT
– G3 233MHz
– 32MB SDRAM (expandable to 128MB);
– 2MB SGRAM (expandable to 4MB);
– 4GB IDE Hard disk drive;
– 24x CD-ROM drive;
– 10/100Base-T Ethernet;
– 33.6Kbps software modem;
– Two 12Mbps Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports;
– 4Mbps infrared technology (IrDA) port;
– Built-in stereo speakers with SRS sound;
– 66MHz system bus;
– Mac OS 8.1;
– Apple USB Keyboard and Apple USB Mouse.
By the way, US$1299, at the Apple Online Store today, gets you a new iMac flat panel with:
– 15-inch LCD flat screen
– 800MHz PowerPC G4
– NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
– 32MB DDR video memory
– 256MB SDRAM
– 60GB Ultra ATA hard drive
– 10/100BASE-T Ethernet
– 56K V.92 internal modem
– Apple Pro Speakers
– AirPort Ready
– Bluetooth Optional
– 100MHz System Bus
– Mac OS X 10.2.4
– Apple USB Keyboard and Apple optical USB Mouse.
Wow, quite an upgrade for the same price! Actually LESS when you figure inflation…
crt imac still available from apple
http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore/
The upgrade from the hockey puck to the optical mouse cannot be measured in mere dollar figures alone.
that wasn’t the only change, there also is a new xbox cluster node!!
xserve of course
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The iMac was my port of re-entry to the world of Apple. My nephew is still using my old 400 Mhz G3 Blueberry, which is still going strong with a Que CDR/RW, 384Mb memory, AirPort & OS 10.2.4. For all of the fussing over processors and speed, I’d rather still have it than ANY Wintel box out there. I know, because I have to suffer through XP Pro on a P4 at work.
To all involved in the design of the original iMac, thanks for a great product, very well done. It’s still a damn fine computer for 80-90% of the people out there.
Also available still in the US in the Apple Store for Education (600MHz snow G3).
You may have jumped the gun. I just checked and they’re still available for educational customers. Starting at $749. So they aren’t completely gone, yet.
all you dudes saying bye bye to the imac worry me.
still. . .it is the MacPlus I miss.
glaring, sad fact:
bus only to 100mhz from 66mhz over 5 years.
With refurbished eMacs (which beat out the CRT iMacs in nearly every area but portability) going for as little as $699, this shouldn’t really surprise anyone.
goodbye and good riddence.
I can still hear the Pee Cee world making grave pronouncements on how this computer couldn’t possibly succeed, with no legacy ports, no floppy drive and a one piece form factor. I also remember two years later when all the Pee Cee manufacturers released their copies of the iMac right down to the candy colors. The iMac, another Apple legend. Thanks for pulling us through.
Rest in peace, iMac G3. Thanks for saving Apple.
It is remarkable that when a 5-year-old computer system finally makes its curtain call, people actually take notice. How many PC models can make that claim? Apple understood then, as it does now, that their products are meant for those who appreciate an elegant computer experience. From cartoon strips to product placement, The iMac quickly became the defacto poster boy of personal computing. It was, indeed, computing for the rest of us. Like the ubiquitous VW Beetle, it wasn’t for everybody, but it was enormously popular. Hmmm…VW brought back the Beetle after a long hiatus, do you suppose Apple would……..? Rest in peace, iMac–for now.
Hey how abount a” tomb of the Unknown Imac” at Apple headquarters. A lot of us think that much of what this little computer was and what it did.
Thank you, iMac, for saving Apple and thereby… for saving us all. You will never be forgotten, because no Apple ever was.
I stood in line waiting for the truck to show up at my local CompUSA for the first iMac (I was #3 at the register). I also bought one of the first Rasberry iMac’s, which my daughter is now using for homework. I sold the bondi and now I’m using a Graphite iMac SE 600Mhz. The iMac is what got me to switch from WinTel, and I thank Apple and Steve Jobs for showing me the light. The innovation continues… USB2, FireWire, and now OS X. Nothing good ever dies… it’s just gets better.
another testimonial (apologize). went to elite computers in cupertino at midnight and was emotionally distraught when that bondi wonder’s screen went bad. apple ended up replacing it with a lime one, fed-ex’d for free (good job, apple). that one is surely still humming somewhere.. but my g3 600.. convection cooling.. gotta admit that’s pretty cool. it’s almost entirely silent. also love the slot-loading cdrw drive. it’s a classic, historic piece of modern design. good job, apple.
Apple may have formally retired their iMacs but the 266 MHz Lime iMac I bought years ago is still being used at my brother’s house. Once I had OS X running on it but admittedly this was always meant to be an OS 9 machine. It goes to show how much value Apple hardware provides compared with other manufacturers.
I always thought that maybe someday I might buy one of those new-fangled iMacs, but I guess I can’t now. I’ll have to wait until my 8600 finally dies or gets too slow to be usable.
It is totally unheard-of in the PC world for a machine as old as the iMac to still be useful, but think about it: there’s a lot of us out there still running 7x00s, 8x00s, and 9x00s. I’m running OS X on mine.